Middle East

The Islamist group Hamas, shown here in a rally in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 12, is the strongest faction in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic State, or ISIS, is not believed to be in the territory, though fliers purporting to be from the group have circulated in

World News

In Gaza, The Specter Of ISIS Proves Useful To Both Sides

9:15pm December 17, 2014

by Emily Harris

The Islamic State is not believed to be in the Gaza Strip. But a flier in its name was recently sent around the territory. Both Israel and Hamas are trying to use it to their advantage.

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World News

Pakistani Editorial Calls For Unified Strategy Against Extremists

9:07pm December 17, 2014

Melissa Block talks to Zaffar Abbas, editor of the Dawn newspaper, about calling on the Pakistani government to take a tough unified strategy against Islamic extremism and terror groups.

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Dr. Mohammed Arif helps treat a wounded patient at a field hospital in Kobani, Syria. Most of the clinics in this besieged Syrian border town are now in ruins. Only one still stands, its location kept secret lest it be targeted.

Medical Workers In Conflict Zones Have Never Faced Greater Risks

4:26pm December 17, 2014

by Eleanor Klibanoff

They've always been caught in crossfire. But now they are being singled out as targets. And the worst violence is taking place in Syria.

A Syrian refuge woman walks past tents at a refugee camp in the eastern Lebanese border town of Arsal, Lebanon, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013.

World News

Amid Strains, Syrian Refugees Are Facing Curfews In Lebanon

2:46pm December 17, 2014

by Alice Fordham

The fragile country now hosts some 1 million Syrian refugees. Some towns have set up civilian volunteers to enforce curfews on the refugees, leading to rising tensions and some cases of abuse.

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World News

Peshawar School Was 'Almost Obvious' Target For Pakistani Taliban

2:46pm December 17, 2014

Melissa Block speaks with Jonathan Boone, Pakistan correspondent for The Guardian, about the Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar.

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World News

Pakistan Near Watershed Moment, But It Will Take Work

2:46pm December 17, 2014

Audie Cornish talks to Shuja Nawaz, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, about how Pakistan got to the point of the Taliban taking revenge on the children of the Pakistani military.

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Saudi Arabian women wear their traditional face covering, the niqab, at a coffee and chocolate exhibition in the capital Riyadh on Monday. A prominent religious figure said on Twitter that the face veil is not mandatory, sparking a heated national debate.

World News

A Tweet On Women's Veils, Followed By Raging Debate In Saudi Arabia

1:48pm December 17, 2014

by Deborah Amos

A prominent ultra-conservative figure says face veils for women are not mandatory. Now everyone is weighing in on the hottest topic in the kingdom.

The Iraqi town of Halabja is dominated by Kurds, the group that has been fighting the Islamic State in northern Iraq. However, some Kurdish residents have been slipping away to join the Islamic State.

Kurdish Officials Worry About Kurds Joining The Islamic State

6:15pm December 16, 2014

by Leila Fadel

In the Kurdish city of Halabja, young men have been disappearing to join ISIS. It's a trend the authorities don't really want to discuss. But they are clamping down to try to make it stop.

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World News

Contestant From War-Torn Syria Wins 'Arab Idol'

6:09pm December 16, 2014

by Alice Fordham

Over the weekend, a champion was crowned in the Middle East's version of American Idol. Syrians cheered as 21-year-old Hazem Sherif from the war-scarred city of Aleppo was announced the winner.

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Gaza Sky Geeks, a startup accelerator, is drawing interest and crowdfunding from around the region and the world.

World News

Gaza Tech Hub Finds Success In International Crowdfunding

4:23pm December 15, 2014

by Emily Harris

Billions have been pledged to help rebuild Gaza, but little of that money has arrived yet. But a startup accelerator is drawing interest and crowdfunding from around the region and the world.